Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (Panera copy-cat)

INGREDIENTS

6 cups chicken broth

2 chicken breast halves (cooked, boneless and cubed)

1 (6 ounce) package long grain and wild rice blend, quick cooking version (You will use the seasoning packet. I used Uncle Ben’s)

1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour

3⁄4 cup butter (I don’t use this much!)

1 cup carrot, diced

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup onion, diced

3 cups light cream (good with fat-free half-and-half)

DIRECTIONS

• Open rice, pull out seasoning packet and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine pepper and flour. Set aside.
• In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth and chicken. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice. Cover and remove from heat.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in contents of seasoning packet, and continue cooking vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes more. Add seasoned flour gradually while constantly stirring, to form a roux. Saute roux for 3-4 minutes to cook out raw flour taste.
• Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.
• Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through and rice is done,15-20 minutes.

*Really thickens up after the first day, I add water to thin out.

Recipe courtesy of Food.com